I’m not sure if you had read my other comment, but FIFA has removed the match between Iraq and Lebanon on January 22nd, and this will give Iraq +17pts (460 instead of 443) and Lebanon -7pts (270 instead of 277)…:)

@ EDGARI think that FIFA Should control more "Considering match or not". As Example, Jordan Vs Thailand friendly Match on Oct,2011 which finished 0-0, there was 10 subs, and it was considered in FIFA Ranking?!!Tarek

@ Edgar.... I do wonder whether the integrity of the rankings in starting to be compromised by omitting games. If a nation knows that their rankings points will drop even by winning a friendly they can throw on an extra couple of substitutions and have the game disregarded. Thoughts?

@Clifton,EDGARYou are right, specially that the countries are interested in Ranking now beacuse it affects Draw POTs, so FIFA should control this more.Considering Matches Should be clear before the result/end of match. Tarek

Azerbaijan v Palestine on 29.2 removed as FIFA did not approve the change of referee for the match.

I can give an insight on how the match report process works.

In FIFA's regulations, every FA must tell FIFA IN ADVANCE about any upcoming matches. In reality, this does not happen and FIFA does nothing. They rely on third party sources for information instead. In the regulations, FAs should be fined if they do not submit a match report. In reality, this does not happen, and FIFA does nothing.

On some occasions, FAs DO submit official match reports to FIFA. In these cases, FIFA must go by what the match report says. If the match report says "we used 3 substitutes", then this becomes official for FIFA (even if the FA actually used more than 6 subs, but wrote something different in the match report - this has happened already more than once).

FIFA now has a separate A match committee to deal specifically with these cases and communicate directly with FAs.

I have always said FIFA would make things easier for themselves with this simple plan:

Buy every FA a fax machine/Blackberry/any kind of communication device.Tell them to fax/email/text match reports to FIFA after every game.Alternatively, make it the responsibility of the match referee as part of his match report.

In this day and age, FIFA should not be missing matches played by their own FAs. But it happens. Sometimes FIFA knows nothing about certain matches, despite the fact that they have been organised by FAs in membership of FIFA.